Empire Decorative Objects
From 1804–15, Napoléon I reigned as the emperor of France, bringing the country into a new era of opulence after the fall of the monarchy and the tumultuous years of the French Revolution. He declared, “We must have very solid things, made to last 100 years.” Empire-style furniture followed suit, with imposing pieces constructed from mahogany and adorned with gilded ornaments. Expanding on the neoclassicism popularized in the previous century — such as in Louis XVI style — Empire style borrowed from the great civilizations of antiquity, from Egypt to Greece and Rome, to connect this nascent empire to the power of the past.
Napoléon I believed the production of fine furniture would reflect the stature of the republic, with his official architects Charles Percier and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine leading the way with their work on his residences.
Luxurious materials, symmetrical shapes and bold colors characterize antique Empire-style bedroom furniture, armchairs, cabinets and other structures, with frequent motifs including mythological creatures, geometric designs, acanthus leaves, eagles, bees (the imperial emblem) and swans, a favorite of Empress Joséphine.
Flat surfaces, like marble tabletops, were accented with decadent details, such as the bronze furniture mounts made by sculptor Pierre-Philippe Thomire for the French palaces. Martin-Guillaume Biennais, who worked as the imperial goldsmith, crafted intricate luxury objects that mixed wood, fine metal, mother-of-pearl and ivory. Ormolu — or elaborate bronze gilding — was essential to French design in the 18th and 19th centuries as a cornerstone of the neoclassical and Empire styles.
The style became popular abroad, influencing the American Empire style. Stately pieces carved with sprigs of olives by cabinetmaker Pierre-Antoine Bellange were acquired by American President James Monroe for the White House in 1817.
Find a collection of antique Empire tables, lighting, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Brass
1810s Italian Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Silver
Early 19th Century Dutch Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Silver
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
Mid-20th Century English Empire Decorative Objects
Crystal
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Malachite, Ormolu
1870s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Porcelain
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Brass
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Pine
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Marble, Bronze
1840s American Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Metal
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Marble, Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Plaster
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Brass
Early 19th Century Danish Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Brass
1820s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Porcelain
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
1810s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Marble, Ormolu, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Brass
Early 1900s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Crystal, Bronze
2010s Italian Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Marble, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Marble, Bronze, Enamel, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Marble, Ormolu
1960s Danish Vintage Empire Decorative Objects
Porcelain
2010s Italian Empire Decorative Objects
Gold, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
20th Century French Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
1880s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Lapis Lazuli, Bronze
18th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Ceramic
1850s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Crystal
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Marble, Bronze, Enamel
1810s Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Wood
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Crystal, Bronze
Early 20th Century Italian Empire Decorative Objects
Brass, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Crystal, Bronze
1820s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
1960s Italian Vintage Empire Decorative Objects
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 19th Century Swiss Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Gold
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Crystal, Brass
1820s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Porcelain
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Ormolu, Bronze
Late 20th Century French Empire Decorative Objects
Malachite, Ormolu
1810s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze, Enamel, Ormolu
1820s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Onyx, Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Porcelain
Early 1800s French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Tin
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Crystal, Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Empire Decorative Objects
Bronze